D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209 How the Judges Judge

Kress chapter

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”Now that the judges are introduced, theyʼll each be announcing what criteria they are judging BY. The judges wonʼt be overlapping here, each of their scores will be completely separate. The way weʼll be determining the final winner, and runner up, will be first taking the winner in each category and giving them a point. Then weʼll be giving the person with the most total points, an additional two points on top of that. The team with the most points at the end will be consider the winner, with the running up being the second most points.

”If there are ties in each category, then the other judges will come together and decide who won that specific category, and the bonus points alongside it. If, somehow, only one team manages to get any points at all? Sweeping every category? Then nobody will get second place. I mean come on, surely you guys can manage to win at least one category, right? Now, letʼs hear our judges explain what theyʼre looking for,” said Thyme.

”Wait! I donʼt even know how this all works! How am I supposed to pick a category for judging?” asked Mint, a slight tinge of panic in her voice.

Thyme shrugged and said, ”I cannot provide you any suggestions lest that count as unfairly influencing a judge,”

Mint looked to the other judges and pleaded, ”Does that mean the rest of you can help me?”

The old man just shrugged and said, ”Donʼt look at me, Iʼm probably going to judge based on what looks the nicest. Nothing fancy. Iʼm just an old farmer named Steve, so my opinion ainʼt to important,”

*No your name if ULF and letʼs not pretend nobody knows that either. Whatever. I guess if he wants to pretend even in front of Thyme and the other rulers he must be pretty committed to the retirement thing. Still… I donʼt see any other reason ʼSteveʼ the farmer would be here alongside everyone else.*

”Well IʼM going to ask Thyme to duplicate everyoneʼs squares and then test them all for durability,” said the soot goblin. ”Iʼm not so rude as to destroy the originals… but I want to see just how well it all holds up. Just a few light earthquakes! Iʼm sure Thyme can simulate that for me. Anyway, depending on the damage Iʼll give you points. Both for how well everything survived, and for how nice it looks afterwards. Each half is worth five of the ten points I can hand out,”

Mint gave Thyme a confused look. ”Can… can she do that? Splitting the way her points are judged? That seems… a little strange,” said Mint slowly.

Thyme shrugged and said, ”Iʼm not a judge so I canʼt really stop them from judging however they want. It seems fine to me,”

Mint glared at Thyme and shot back. ”What, so I could say that Iʼll give my points based on whoever left the most footprints in the sand and that would be a valid method of judging this sandcastle contest?”

”If thatʼs how you want to judge Iʼm fine with it,” offered Thyme sincerely.

Mint felt like tearing out her hair. It wouldnʼt have gone well, her current body was pretty well made, fake hair included. ”No I do not want that to be how I judge things, thatʼs ridiculous!”

”I dunno… if youʼre not using it Iʼm tempted to make it how I give out points. Oh, and if weʼre using fake names… I call Bob” said ʼBobʼ the hippy.

Mint glared at him but didnʼt say anything. Instead, she turned to the only person who hadnʼt said anything yet. ”I feel the urge to rate the sculptures using something silly as well, like perhaps how fuckable it looks,” said Titania.

*Ah. I remember when I was confident we could win the sandcastle contest because our team built the best sand castle. My confidence is very quickly draining away. I mean WHO RATES SANDCASTLES LIKE THIS. The worst part is, I canʼt even speak up and complain to them about it because I know exactly who they are. I do wonder why most everyone else is staying quiet though. Hmm… poor Mint. She doesnʼt know what sheʼs gotten herself into the poor girl.*

Of course, the reason that nobody else was talking was that contrary to what Kress thought, everyone seemed to recognise at least one of them. The fruit juice comment was enough for people familiar with Oditr to realise who she was. Auctifer was obvious to most of the elves, and a good number of the fae. As for Titania? The fae were all trying to pretend they didnʼt know who she was after being introduced as ʼsomeone Thyme found at a brothelʼ. Except Green of course, who looked like she wanted to go say hello but wasnʼt sure it was appropriate. Well that and Nixileiʼs firm hand on her shoulder.

Kat hadnʼt connected the dots yet, but Lily had. She was currently hiding behind Kat to hide her laughter while refusing to explain to her girlfriend what was so funny. Carl hadnʼt worked out who they were, but did notice everyone else freaking out better then Kress did and was being careful not to do anything too stupid until he figured out why everyone was so worked up.

”I feel so lost, why is the one introduced as a ʼcrazy old manʼ the most sane amongst you people?” whined Mint.

*Heʼs the oldest?* Kress suggested internally. He certainly wasnʼt going to say it out loud. Though… he leaned over and whispered to Blue, knowing that heʼd probably be overheard. ”What do you think our chances are now? This has become rather strange,”

Blue flinched at the sound of Kressʼ voice but calmed quickly. Without turning she whispered back, ”I have no idea. Tit- I mean, the fae woman probably wonʼt stick with… f-f… I canʼt say. With THAT as her criteria but she seems tempted. I donʼt really know whatʼs going on either,”

”What is with you people?” asked Mint, perhaps more loudly then intended. She first rounded on Oditr, ”Youʼre idea is at least somewhat reasonable, and maybe, if the others had less crazy ideas Iʼd be cool with it, but I canʼt help but feel like you started us off on this crazy train,” Mint then turned to Auctifer, ”You shouldnʼt be taking my bad ideas as good ones. I was thinking of the craziest example I could, why would you accept it as an answer? Also, why would you pick a fake name? Why out Stave as being a fake name, assuming it is?” Mint turned to Titania, ”I think you were joking… so Iʼm not going to say anything else other than that,”

Mint then turned, slowly to the old man ʼSteveʼ. ”I donʼt know if youʼre name is fake or not because I have no idea who you are and you SEEM reasonable… but I am worried about this ʼcrazy old manʼ bit. So just… I dunno if youʼre going to do something crazy can you just get it out of the way now?”

Steve stared back at Mint for a few seconds and eventually said, ”No man is an island. Theyʼre a lot closer to spider webs. Picking up dust, dirt, debris and occasionally other insects that are quickly devoured,”

Mint growled out, ”Iʼd slap you if I wasnʼt trained so well in hospitality,”

”Slap me if you want, I wonʼt stop you… but I might return the favour…” said Steve ominously.

Mint shook her head and said, ”Nope, Iʼm not doing it, Iʼm better than that,”

”Not to interrupt this… lovely little conversation,” said Thyme as they head extended until it was between Steve and Mint, ”However we do need to get a move on. Itʼs past dinner time for everyone and Iʼm sure nobody wants to hear a bunch of random people arguing about nonsense so if everyone could pick what theyʼre judging things on that would be great! Oh, and doubling up IS allowed, in case that wasnʼt clear before,”

Steve spoke first, ”Iʼm sticking with ʼbest lookingʼ. I donʼt care about anything else, it would take too much effort,”

”And Iʼm sticking with destruction,” said Oditr. ”As a dwarf, having a shoddily built display is worse than having nothing on display. It shows you didnʼt care enough to put the effort in. Though, Iʼll be easier on everyone as I do realise it should be mostly made up of sand,”

Titania spoke next, ”I suppose Iʼll go for the ʼmost creativeʼ then. I want to really see those minds at work in the sculpture,”

Everyone looked to ʼBobʼ next but he just shrugged and motioned to Mint who sighed and said, ”I guess Iʼll join up with Steve on this one. Iʼll just vote for the one that looks the best,”

Auctifer thought for a few more moments and said, ”I want to go for something interesting… so Iʼm going to give out points based on how well the things that arenʼt sand are used,”

”In a sandcastle contest?” asked Mint.

”Iʼll allow it,” said Thyme. Mint glared back at Thyme. Steve grinned. ʼBobʼ grinned. Oditr looked around for more juice, and Titania smirked seductively.